Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Andre burst through the gym doors, as bare-shouldered as
always, graceful tattoos coiling up one of his muscled brown arms. Though his
breath came in misty puffs, his hands were warm when he took my cold ones in
his.

“Come inside, Beth,” he said, a hint of a smile in his dark
eyes. “You’re gonna freeze your ass off out here.”

At Andre’s touch I felt my tension ebb, and the sob that was
trapped inside my ribs dissolve. Andre, respectfully distant, was always just
close enough when I needed him. I pressed my head against his chest and let him
hold me.

“Not a day goes by when I don’t feel it, too,” he murmured.
Andre was the only one who understood what it was like to breathe when your
lungs were gone. Sam had been his best friend, the rock he could hang on to
when things at home got to be too much for him.

And just like that, I felt better. Andre’s touch, as I
called it to myself, had the power to calm me. It wasn’t attraction. Andre and
Shelly had been together even longer than Sam and I. It was shared pain. And somehow,
Andre had the ability to take mine away. I was in too much pain to wonder what
he did with his own.

Squeezed into a black satin bustier over a cobalt tulle
skirt and black fishnets, I waited in the wings backstage. I couldn’t see past
the glare of the lights, but judging from the crowd’s roar, the whole town had
shown up for the Band Slam Semi-Finals. August Rebellion was pitted against
eight other bands. The winner wouldn’t be chosen until

the Grand Finale next week.

At last, our turn came and I tried to kick it into gear. I
belted out Blast Mahoney’s “Like Never”, hoping to incinerate my nerves with the
screaming licks of my guitar. Shelly scorched on bass. Andre hammered the beat.
We sounded good, but inside I was hollow, the keyboard chords ringing in my
ears. I wanted them to be Sam’s notes. And
they weren’t.

When it was over the crowd went nuts. Long-time Slam
tradition required the audience to throw random junk at their favorite band. They flung crazy stuff at us—coins, confetti,
flowers, rubber chickens. Even someone’s
bra and underpants landed on the stage. I figured as far as the crowd was
concerned, we’d rocked the house. When the spotlight dimmed, I glimpsed Luke
and Carson standing on their chairs and pumping their fists. My chest tingled
and I felt the roots of my hair, as if I was about to be struck by lightning. I
had to get out of there.

Pushing past the kids who crowded the backstage, I fled to
the dressing room behind the auditorium.

A boy with a halo of blond curls and mirrored sunglasses
slouched against the door.

“Hi,” he said, walking up to me, hand extended. “I’m Vincent
Rousseau. Your bandmate Andre asked me to come to the Band Slam tonight to hear
you play.”

“What? Andre didn’t tell me anyone was coming.” Shivering in
my skimpy costume, I scanned the empty corridor. The next band, Wails from the
Crypt, was already tuning up. My phone was in the dressing room drawer. If
Vincent Rousseau planned to kidnap me, no one would hear my screams.

“What do you want?”

The boy’s surprisingly deep voice was colored by a trace of
an accent. French, I decided, from the way he emphasized the second syllable in
his first name—Vin-cent. I couldn’t help but notice how his dusky skin
contrasted pleasingly with his mop of bright curls. “I’m a scout for a high
school residency program for talented youth. Andre

speaks very well of you.”

I twirled a strand of damp hair. “Huh? Where is this
program?”

“We’re allied with many colleges nationwide.”

“Yeah? Never heard of something like that. Does it have a
name?”

“HSTYP, or High Step as we call it. Your friend Andre
thought you’d be a good candidate.”

“Oh, did he?” I glared at the poor guy. I was in a crummy
mood and had no problem taking it out on him. “I’m not leaving Linford.”

“No matter, then,” said Vincent Rousseau, shrugging. “I am
just a student at one of the local affiliates. I will leave you with my card in
case you have a change of heart.” He smiled again, and despite myself, I felt
my guard slip just a notch. Still, I wasn’t sure if I could trust someone who
wore mirrored sunglasses indoors in the middle of

winter.

“Look, I’ve got to change,” I said, taking his card. “It was
nice to meet you—Vincent.”

I was pretty sure I didn’t mean it, but if Vincent cared, he
didn’t show it. He smiled, broadly and said, “It’s been a pleasure to make your
acquaintance, Bethany Collins.”

I shook my head and watched him go. Strange guy. But polite.
And oddly hot. I was going to have to chew out Andre for his well-meaning but
lame attempt to shake me from my gloom. But first I had to get out
of my ridiculous get-up.

Lisa Amowitz was born in Queens and raised in the
wilds of Long Island, New York where she climbed trees, thought small creatures
lived under rocks and studied ant hills. And drew. A lot.

Lisa has been a professor of graphic design at Bronx
Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for
nearly eighteen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted
something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably
because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.

BREAKING GLASS which
was released July 9, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, is her
first published work. VISION, the first book in the Finder Series, released
September 9, 2014 and its unnamed sequel will release winter, 2016. UNTIL BETH,
a YA urban fantasy, will release September 2015.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Can't wait for this one to come out!! Check out the deets and come back next week for an amazing teaser!

Title: Until Beth

Author: Lisa Amowitz

Release Date: September 29, 2015

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Synopsis:She doesn’t just play, she kills it.

Talented rock guitarist Beth
Collins has been barely holding herself together for months, ever since her
boyfriend and bandmate became the latest victim in a string of suspicious
disappearances. When her brother is injured an accident and she sees something
dark billowing around him as he hovers close to death, she’s convinced her
sanity is collapsing for good.

Then she's accepted by a boarding
school for the musically gifted. All of her new friends are bursting with
talent, but they're also keeping secrets. Can she trust Vincent, who's so sweet
that his very touch makes her fears melt away? Or Xavier, who's trying to tell
her something but is hiding even more?

Lisa Amowitz was born in Queens and raised in the
wilds of Long Island, New York where she climbed trees, thought small creatures
lived under rocks and studied ant hills. And drew. A lot.

Lisa has been a professor of graphic design at Bronx
Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for
nearly eighteen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted
something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably
because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.

BREAKING GLASS which
was released July 9, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, is her
first published work. VISION, the first book in the Finder Series, released
September 9, 2014 and its unnamed sequel will release winter, 2016. UNTIL BETH,
a YA urban fantasy, will release September 2015.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

So excited to be part of Lisa's book blast for her novella Fractured! Here are all the deets and make sure you scroll to the bottom for the giveaway!

Blurb:
FRACTURED, Book 1.2 in The VISION SERIES

Bobby's a hick who sees visions. Jeremy's a smartass who sees dead people. Together, they have a weekend to stop a murderer...if they don't kill each other first. Sparks fly when the worlds of Lisa Amowitz’s BREAKING GLASS and VISION collide.

Excerpt:

“Hey. You were the kid that played with that amazing redhead. Not bad, man. Not bad.”
“Um, thanks.”
“Not from around here, are you?”
“No. I mean, I’m not, really.”
The guy smiled and extended a hand. “Sorry. Just a little cranky tonight. I came in this morning on an epic bus ride from Duke just to see my girlfriend and she’s stuck in a study group with a bunch of other assholes. Oh. I’m Jeremy Glass.” He lowered himself on the bench next to me and massaged his leg. “Too much walking today. Damn.”
I tried to keep my eyes from going wide as the guy lifted the cuff of his black jeans. Instead of an actual leg there was only a hydraulic metal pole.
Jeremy Glass looked at me and smiled. “Veronica’s been sticking a little lately. I think I’ll have to bring her back to the shop. What’s your name?”
I glanced from his face to the metal leg. “Bobby. Bobby Pendell,” I choked out. It wasn’t the leg. It was just hard to breathe around him, like he was sucking up my share of the oxygen.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know how Jeremy Glass had lost that leg, though I was pretty sure he’d be happy to tell me. I thought about bolting back inside the club, but that would be rude.
Instead, Glass said breezily, “You were awesome, dude. Where’d you learn to play guitar and sing like that? Man, all I can do is run.”
I bit back on the obvious response. How could a guy with a fake leg run?
Glass laughed. “Ha! Most people are too polite to ask, but I’m not shy about it. I was a sprinter. Fastest in my school. Until—well, until the accident. But now I’ve got a Teflon blade and I’m the fastest on the team. Technology is awesome, huh?”
I cleared my throat. Something about this guy was making my skin crawl. Maybe it was his fast talking. Or the way his eyes twinkled but looked steely and cunning all at the same time. I felt like he was silently laughing at me. Like his brain worked two and a half times faster than mine did. He eyed me with one eyebrow raised, as if he didn’t actually expect a response.
“Um, it was nice to meet you. But I really should be getting back inside,” I said, and finally got up to leave.
Glass stared calmly back at me. “Who’s your friend, then?”
A shiver rolled up my spine. I had to get away. Ever since my last brush with Agent Maura Reston on the Scratch Lake dock, I’d had the distinct feeling I was being watched. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but this guy seemed to be probing me for something.
“What friend?”
His gaze shifted over my left shoulder. “That guy.”
The blood froze in my veins. I pivoted and saw a brief white flicker, a disruption, then empty air.
Glass laughed. “Yeah. You’ve got to learn to ignore them. They’re everywhere.”
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
Glass’s smile vanished. “I don’t like it any more than you do. But I can always tell when I meet someone like me.”
“Like you?” I backed away toward the club entrance, cold sweat trickling from my scalp down the back of my neck.
“You can see them, too. Things no one else can.”
He pressed a card into my hand. My mouth went dry. The sidewalk tilted. I pressed my palm to the glass of the club window to steady myself.
I didn’t have to look down to know what it said.
He’d seen the thing that I’d seen. He was like me.
He was working with Agent Reston and her paranormal goon squad.

Lisa Amowitz was born in Queens and raised in the wilds of Long Island, New York where she climbed trees, thought small creatures lived under rocks and studied ant hills. And drew. A lot.
Lisa has been a professor of graphic design at Bronx Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly eighteen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.
BREAKING GLASS which was released July 9, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, is her first published work. VISION, the first book in the Finder Series, released September 9, 2014 and its unnamed sequel will release winter, 2016. UNTIL BETH, a YA urban fantasy, will release September 2015.
So stay tuned because Lisa is very hyper and has to create stuff to stay alive.
Lisa is represented by Shannon Hassan of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

I'm thrilled to be part of the cover reveal for my very dear friend Lisa Amowitz's new book! Isn't it gorgeous!! Look for the book this fall!

She doesn’t just play, she kills it.

Talented rock guitarist Beth Collins has been barely holding herself together for months, ever since her boyfriend and bandmate became the latest victim in a string of suspicious disappearances. When her brother is injured an accident and she sees something dark billowing around him as he hovers close to death, she’s convinced her sanity is collapsing for good.

Then she's accepted by a boarding school for the musically gifted. All of her new friends are bursting with talent, but they're also keeping secrets. Can she trust Vincent, who's so sweet that his very touch makes her fears melt away? Or Xavier, who's trying to tell her something but is hiding even more?

Lisa Amowitz was born in Queens and raised in the wilds of Long Island, New York where she climbed trees, thought small creatures lived under rocks and studied ant hills. And drew. A lot.
Lisa has been a professor of graphic design at Bronx Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly eighteen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.
BREAKING GLASS which was released July 9, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, is her first published work. VISION, the first book in the Finder Series, released September 9, 2014 and its unnamed sequel will release winter, 2016. UNTIL BETH, a YA urban fantasy, will release September 2015.
So stay tuned because Lisa is very hyper and has to create stuff to stay alive.
Lisa is represented by Shannon Hassan of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

Monday, February 9, 2015

I am very excited to help reveal the new covers for the fabulous Elana Johnson's Elemental series! Aren't they gorgeous!! Here's a bit about each book:

About ELEMENTAL RUSH: Eighteen-year-old Adam Gillman has trained for twelve years to earn a coveted spot on the Supreme Elemental’s elite sentry squad. His brother, Felix, is the commander, but Adam is still thrilled when his official assignment to serve Alexander Pederson comes.

He moves into nicer quarters and can stop getting up at four a.m. to complete his mandated work out time. He still rises early though, because he needs the solitude of early morning to practice his airmaking Element—something that Adam has kept secret from everyone, even Felix, because he can’t be both an Airmaker and a sentry.

When Alex assigns him to kill a group of rogue Elementals, he balks at completing his mission for the first time. See, his only friend is Isaiah Hawking, and he’s the Earthmover on the accused Council. When faced with the prospect of killing him, Adam finds he can’t do it.

He’s well trained in assassination, but he thought he’d be murdering bad guys—not innocents.

When Alex buries the Elemental Academy—and kills over one thousand Elementals—in a fit of rage, Adam’s loyalty cracks. When he discovers that Alex is really a woman, and his brother’s lover, he defects. He hops from city to city, from Elemental school to Elemental school, always escaping only minutes before Felix can embed a knife in his heart or a tsunami can make a classroom his watery grave.

He tries to fight back, but he’s just one Airmaster with exceptional tracking skills. He does his best to warn those in danger, but as the last Elemental school goes up in flames, he knows he needs to get some real firepower on his side.

About ELEMENTAL HUNGER: The second installment in the Elemental series, a new futuristic fantasy for young adults and new adults from acclaimed author Elana Johnson, ELEMENTAL HUNGER is a full-length novel that continues the story that began in ELEMENTAL RUSH, an Elemental novella.

Sixteen-year-old Gabriella Kilpatrick can shoot fire from her hands, which would be great if she didn’t get blamed for a blazing inferno that kills 17 schoolmates. When Gabby is commanded to Manifest her Element, everyone knows what she is: a genetic abnormality. Not to mention guilty.

So she does two logical things to survive.
1. She runs.
2. She hacks off her hair to assume a new role—that of “Gabe”, because in her world, only boys are Firemakers.

Not only does she have to act like a guy, she has to pretend to know everything a Firemaker should know. When Gabby meets Airmaster Adam Gillman, he believes her act and pledges to serve on “Gabe’s” Council. But Adam has the mark of a sentry and spent years obeying Alex, the Supreme Elemental. And Alex wants Gabby-the-genetic-freak dead and gone before she can gather the magical protection of a full Council.

With Adam’s lies that sound like truths and rumors that Alex isn’t really a Firemaker—or a man—Gabby sets out to charter a Council of her own. In order to uncover the truth, Gabby will have to learn who she can trust, how to control her own power, and most of all, how to lead a Council of Elementals, most of whom have more control over their power than she does. If she can’t, she’ll find herself just like those 17 schoolmates: burned and six feet under.

Look for the third and final installment, ELEMENTAL RELEASE, the final Elemental novella.

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22063919-elemental-hunger

About ELEMENTAL RELEASE: Two months after returning to the capital city of Tarpulin with a Council of his own, Airmaster Adam Gillman is ready to start repairing the relationships in his life. Up first: his Councilman and the girl he’d like to be more than friends with, Gabriella Kilpatrick.

But first, he has to figure out how to be the Airmaster his Firemaker needs. In order to do that, Adam attends Elemental training and discovers that to truly command the air, he must first be in control of his emotions. And in order to master those, he has to grieve for the loss of Hanai, make amends with his brother, and earn the trust of Gabby.

Amidst all that, Adam must also learn how to grapple with the jet stream, because a dangerous Airmaster is loose in Tarpulin. And Adam will need to find his emotional center in order to work with the atmosphere and defeat the threat.

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22063941-elemental-release

About Elana Johnson:
Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist.

Her self-published novels include two YA contemporary novels-in-verse, Elevated and Something About Love, as well as a YA/NA futuristic fantasy series, which includes Elemental Rush, Elemental Hunger, and Elemental Release.

School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog and WriteOnCon, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Regan Flay is on the cusp of achieving her
control-freak mother's "plan" for high school success―cheerleading,
student council, the Honor Society—until her life gets turned horribly,
horribly upside down. Every bitchy text. Every bitchy email. Every lie,
manipulation, and insult she's ever said have been printed out and taped
to all the lockers in school.

Now Regan has gone from popular princess to total
pariah.

The only person who even speaks to her is her former best
friend's hot but socially miscreant brother, Nolan Letner. Nolan thinks he
knows what Regan's going through, but whatnobody knows is that
Regan isn't really Little Miss Perfect. In fact, she's barely holding it
together under her mom's pressure. But the consequences of Regan's fall from
grace are only just beginning. Once the chain reaction starts, no one will
remain untouched...

Especially Regan Flay.

About the Author

Cole Gibsen first realized she different when, in
high school, she was still reading comic books while the other girls were
reading fashion magazines.

It was her love of superheroes that first inspired
her to pick up a pen. Her favorite things to write about are ordinary girls who
find themselves in extraordinary situations.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and owner, Michelle McLean, is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Michelle McLean with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.